Eat free on your anniversary

You’ve heard of birthday freebies and deals. But did you know that you could get discounts, deals, and freebies when you celebrate your wedding anniversary by dining out?

All you need to do to qualify for a free anniversary gift is to sign up for a restaurant’s mailing list, eClub or whatever clever moniker it uses for getting you to register.

None of the restaurants have asked for proof of a wedding or an anniversary date beyond the date you enter in the registration field, nor do they seem to judge you if you have not followed the traditional path to marriage. So that means that if you’re in a committed relationship or a partnership — and you have an anniversary you celebrate — you should go ahead and sign up for these bargains. As as far as I’m concerned, everyone should be able to celebrate his/her/their anniversary with a free or discounted meal or some other kind of deal.

About that committed relationship: some of the deals we listed below are for the anniversary of the date you committed to the club. Since it is an anniversary and we’ll celebrate the idea, we’ve included those deals. We’ll keep this list updated with new deals.

Celebrate your anniversary of any kind on the cheap with a freebie, coupon or some kind of discount on your meal (note: link to each restaurant’s site is in the subhead):

You have the option of signing up for Abuelo’s eClub online or in one of the Mexican restaurant’s locations in 14 states. You’ll get a gift upon signing up, and then one on your anniversary — a free dinner entree when you purchase a dinner entree.

When you become a “Friend of Fleming’s” — that’s what this steakhouse restaurant and wine bar calls its mailing list/customer club — you’ll get information about seasonal menus, new wine collections, tasting opportunities, and most important — a special complimentary treat if you dine there within 30 days of your anniversary.

With restaurants in five Western states, plus Texas, Marie Callender restaurant customers can enjoy an anniversary gift similar to its birthday deal — a coupon for $5 off your meal, plus a free piece of pie for dessert.

Right now when you sign up for “The Dish,” Romano’s Macaroni Grill’s newsletter, you’ll get $5 off an entree. When you complete the sign-up form, be sure to include your wedding anniversary date; you’ll receive a coupon around the time of your anniversary for a free piece of chocolate cake.

If you decide to dine at Ruth Chris Steak House for your anniversary — and you’ve signed up for the restaurant’s email list in advance — you’ll get a free dessert to share at the end of your meal. Sweet!

On the Steak ‘N Shake eClub sign-up form, this family-friendly restaurant doesn’t ask for your anniversary date. Instead, it asks for the date of your “special occasion.” Then it promise to send you “a little something extra on those dates to help you celebrate” on that day.

My sources tell me, based on the birthday freebie Steak ‘N Shake offers, that your free anniversary food will be a cheeseburger and fries.

In my opinion, Ted’s Montana Grill has some of the best apple crumble around. And it turns out that when you sign up for Ted’s email list, you’ll get a coupon for a free dessert on your anniversary. Can you guess what free dessert I’ll be choosing if we celebrate our anniversary at Ted’s?

About Rosie Wolf Williams

Rosie Wolf Williams was born into a thrifty family. One of five children, Rosie learned at an early age to save without being miserly. Having fun is an important part of life, too! Her parents use to say, "Use it up. Wear it out. Make it do, or do without." The mom of two adult sons, Rosie has spent her life saving and spending wisely. She's always looking for ways to live within her means and, as she says, "beat the man!" She owns the websites TrusttheUniverse.com and BigPurpleMarble.com, and has written for Woman's Day, U.S.A. Weekend, Costco Connection, Energy Times, AARP the Magazine, and Next Avenue.